Pallar

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia


Pallar
Languages
Tamil
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Tamil people

The Pallar is a sub-caste of the Devendrakula Velalar caste, an agricultural community from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu post the legislation being passed as a bill in the Parliament.[1][2]

The Pallars are preferred to be known as "Mallar". The Pallars traditionally inhabited the fertile wetland area referred to as Marutham in the literary devices of the Sangam landscape. Today, they are one of the dominant communities of southern Tamil Nadu and have developed a reputation for being assertive about their rights.[3][4] The Pallars also claim descent from Kshatriyas, making them more inclined to a more 'martial' tradition.[5]

Etymology[edit]

The term Pallar may be derived from Pallam, which relates to a low-lying geographical landform – the river valley. The landforms relate with the "Marutham" landscape in Sangam Literature. This is equated with their traditional occupation of cultivators of the geographically lower landform at the river Valley. There is literary evidence that suggests that Pallars were traditional farmers who produced large quantities of food grains, and that some were probably rulers in the Tamil region.[3] The change of name from Mallar to Pallar is thought to have been imposed upon them after the decline of their rule, when the leaders (Nayakas) of competing clans, who preferred a suggestion of degradation in status.[3][4]

History[edit]

The Pallars traditionally inhabited the fertile wetland area referred to as Marutham in the literary devices of the Sangam landscape.[6] Vendan, also known as Devendra and identified with Indra, is the god of the Marutham landscape and also one of the chief deities of the Pallars.[7][8][9] Agriculture, being the dominant occupation in Sangam society, had gained a status and expertise.

Some historians have claimed the Pallars are descendants of the Pallavas who ruled the Andhra and Tamil countries between the 6th and 9th centuries. Tamil scholar M. Srinivasa Iyengar claimed the Pallars were one of the communities that served often in Pallava armies.[10]

During the course of and after the Vijayanagara rule and the Nayakas, the Pallars were primarily agricultural labourers, with the exception of a significant number of small and marginal farmers.[11][5][3]

Major scholars, sociologists, anthropologists – including T. K. Veluppillai[12] and Dr. G. Oppert[13] – have insisted that Pallars are the descendants to the ancient Mallars of Marutham landscape.

Post independence Era[edit]

Various efforts to improve the socio-economic condition of Pallars, did begin after the 1920s.[14] Post independence, various caste conflicts such as 1957 Ramnad riots, Bodinayakkanur riots of 1989, 1995 Kodiyankulam violence and 2011 Paramakudi riots had taken place related to the community.

The proposal of naming the castes such as Devendrakulathar, Pallar, Pannadi, Kudumbar, Kaladi, Vathiriyar and Kadaiyar from the Scheduled Castes list, Kalladi and Moopar from the Other Backward Class list into the umbrella term "Devendrakula Velalar" was mooted.[15] This aligns with restoring the name "Devendrakula Velalar" from the caste's glossary of 1951 Census of India back officially.[16]

In 2011, a one-member commission was appointed by the state government under the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to study the issue. But it did not proceed further.[17][18] [4][14][3]

In 2019, a four-member commission under Hansraj Verma was appointed by the state government under the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) to study the issue. However, the proposal of renaming and merger the castes was limited to 7 sub-catses such as Devendrakulathar, Pallar, Pannadi, Kudumbar, Kaladi, Vathiriyar and Kadaiyar from the Scheduled Castes list. Also, an anthropological study team was appointed to study the anthropological relations and feasibility.[19][20] Then, the anthropological report was submitted to the commission recommending for the merger of the sub-groups.[21]

In March 2021, the Lok Sabha passed a bill approving the name change and merger for the seven sub-castes, since it may be noted that Article 341 of the Constitution empowers the President to specify the list of Scheduled Castes in various States and Union Territory in India. However, their demand of delisted to the Other Backward Class is not considered yet.[22]

Inscription and literature[edit]

Two 17th-century inscriptions referring to Pallars as Devendrakutumpan and "son of the celestial woman" have been found in Tirunelveli and Ramanathapuram districts.[4]

The socio-economic position of the Pallar as bonded servants working on farms is a central theme of Pallu poetry popular in the post Vijayangara era during 16th and 17th centuries.[23]

Social status[edit]

The social status of the Pallars has remained low since the Vijayanagara Empire rule. According to Professor Hanumanthan, Pallars were subjugated and oppressed by other clans invading from other parts of South India and reduced to a majority of marginal farmers and landless laborers.[24]

In villages where they are small minorities and are highly dependent on dominant castes for livelihoods, this untouchability is highly practised. But since they do not practice a particular task seen as 'degrading,' the source of this low social status is highly unclear.[25]

However, in villages where the Pallars forms majority of population had remained not only prosperous but they also gained political power. This disparity let many discussions among scholarly fields, concluding that the Pallars form two groups of one being a high status affiliated class and the other being untouchables.[26]

The Pallars have become one of the most socially mobile community due to a significant minority in non-traditional occupations. This has meant that in villages where Pallars form a significant population, they have higher rates of land ownership, corresponding to educational and economic advancement.[3][27] This lessened dependence on dominant castes has allowed the Pallars to become highly assertive about their rights and dignity in society, as the Pallars have often rejected their low social status.[28]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "Lok Sabha passes bill to place seven castes under Devendrakula Velalars in Tamil Nadu". The Hindu. 19 March 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "President gives assent to Devendrakula Velalar Act". The Hindu. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Ramaiah, A. (2004). "Untouchability and Inter-Caste Relations in Rural India: The Case of Southern Tamil Villages" (PDF). Journal of Religious Culture (70).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Venkatasubramanian 1986, p. 51.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Fuller 1997, p. 77.
  6. ↑ General, India Office of the Registrar (1964). Census of India, 1961. Manager of Publications. p. 11.
  7. ↑ Subrahmanian, N. (1996). Śaṅgam polity: the administration and social life of the Śaṅgam Tamils. Ennes.
  8. ↑ Viswanathan, S. (2005). Dalits in Dravidian land: Frontline reports on Anti-Dalit violence in Tamil Nadu, 1995–2004. Navayana. ISBN 978-81-89059-05-7.
  9. ↑ Sinha, Sachchidanand (1982). Caste system: myths, reality, challenge. Intellectual Pub. House. ISBN 9780836407914.
  10. ↑ Venkatasubramanian 1986, p. 35.
  11. ↑ Venkatasubramanian 1986, p. 36-37.
  12. ↑ Travancore state manual. Vol. 1. Intellectual Pub. House. 1940. {{cite book}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  13. ↑ The Dravidians - On The Original Inhabitants of Bharatvarsha or India (PDF). Intellectual Pub. House. 1934. {{cite book}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Wyatt 2012, p. 140.
  15. ↑ "Protests for name change and merger". The Hindu. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "The 1951 Census Trichnopoly District" (PDF). 6 May 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  17. ↑ "Agitation to bring many SC sects under one common name". The Economic Times. PTI. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  18. ↑ Wyatt, A. (2009). Party System Change in South India: Political Entrepreneurs, Patterns and Processes. Routledge Advances in South Asian Studies. Taylor & Francis. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-135-18202-1. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  19. ↑ "Parliament proceedings | Lok Sabha passes bill to place seven castes under Devendrakula Velalars in Tamil Nadu". The Hindu. 19 March 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  20. ↑ "Not a valid demand, say Dalit intellectuals". The Hindu. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  21. ↑ INTERPRETATION OF IDENTITY: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL REPORT OF SEVEN COMMUNITIESIN SOUTH INDIA
  22. ↑ "No delisting to OBC demand met". The Logical Indian. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  23. ↑ Flores, Jorge Manuel (2007). Re-exploring the Links: History and Constructed Histories Between Portugal and Sri Lanka. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 44. ISBN 9783447054904.
  24. ↑ "Therinda Kovai Theriyada Kadai". Vijaya Padipagam. Retrieved 18 April 2022. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  25. ↑ Fuller 1997, p. 76.
  26. ↑ A., Ramaiah (2004). "Untouchability and Inter-Caste Relations in Rural India: The Case of Southern Tamil Villages" (PDF). Journal of Religious Culture. 70.
  27. ↑ Wyatt 2012, p. 141.
  28. ↑ "Rural Urbanism in Tamil Nadu Notes on a "Slater Village": Gangaikondan, 1916–2012". Review of Agrarian Studies. 2004.

Sources[edit]

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